Why The Most Talented Athletes Rarely Make It And What You Can Do About It

Join 200+ Gymnastics Coaches On June 24th At GymCon 2018 In Solihull, UK, And Discover The Three Vital But Overlooked Keys To Improving Your Coaching And Your Athletes' Results…

Hi, Nick Ruddock here.

If we haven't had the pleasure of connecting, and you're sitting there thinking, "Who is this Nick Ruddock character?", then here's the key blurb:

I'm a gymnastics coach and consultant, and in the last 15 years I've worked closely with coaches and athletes all over the world, in a number of different roles, including assistant, personal and national coaching positions, working with some of the worlds most successful gymnasts.

In fact, I was the first ever national coach for Great Britain's juniors, and I worked closely with Amy Tinkler for a number of years as she ascended through the ranks and clinched the title of British Champion in 2015, as well as a World Medal.

And after that vital formative period, I made the decision to start my own consultancy.

I wanted to dedicate myself to helping the worldwide Gymnastics community move forward.

I knew that I had knowledge and expertise that could have a profound and real impact on coaches all over the world, who in turn could produce better and more successful athletes.

So I decided to share that with as many coaches as I could.

And since then, it's been a crazy whirlwind, but I've loved every minute of it.

I work with switched-on gymnastics coaches here in the UK, as well as numerous international federations all around the world, including Australia, Germany, Japan and Romania.

I coach, I consult, I teach and I lecture, as well as producing as much free content as I can, all with my singular purpose in mind:

To move forward our sport, and equip coaches like you with the tools you need to produce the very highest-level athletes possible.

And in 2018, I've got big, ambitious plans to step up my contribution to the world of Gymnastics, and with that in mind, I'd like to cordially invite you to GymCon 2018 - my annual flagship Gymnastics event.

Why I'm Organising GymCon 2018 And Why Securing Your Ticket Will Be One Of The Smartest Things You Do This Year.

Through all my travelling, all my consulting and all my discussions with thousands of coaches, I've quickly learnt that the technical side of coaching isn't the hard part.

Sure, there's a TON to learn, but it's easily accessible at the tap of a button, with a few zillion videos and drills online to help.

I've even met a bunch of coaches who are succeeding on the international stage with a pretty limited understanding of technique and fancy biomechanics.

What's stopping many coaches from moving forwards

isn't necessarily access to technical information.

Over the years, I've come to a realisation:

Athletes can be coached by the best technical coaches around, but if all they focus on are the technical aspects of gymnastics, that athlete will NEVER reach any serious level.

It might be a sweeping statement, but it's true, and I'll go even further:

An athlete with tremendous potential and the genuine opportunity to become a world class athlete will NEVER get there if all their coaches focus on is the technical side of gymnastics.

Maybe you agree with me, maybe you don't, but I can promise you that I'm telling the truth.

But despite this being "the truth", it's just not reflected in our community today.

And not because coaches like you don't have their athletes' best interests at heart.

They do.

I'm yet to spend time with a gymnastics coach who doesn't love what they do, and doesn't want the best for their athletes, but sometimes that desire for success can manifest itself in the wrong way.

It can lead the coach to spend all their time focusing on the technical side of the sport, as a result of the mistaken assumption that just coaching an athlete to be technically better will be enough to get them to reach their potential.

And I make no apology for repeating this: it is NOT the coach's fault, and it is NOT because they don't care.

In fact, it's the opposite. They care so much that they do hundreds of hours of research.

It's just that the stuff they REALLY need to know isn't out there.

Fire up YouTube, or head onto the various Gymnastics blogs, and you'll find that all the content is technical - that's just where our focus is as a community.

Just to be clear, there's nothing wrong with technical knowledge. In fact, it's vital. But it's not the whole picture, and if you're serious about being successful as a Gymnastics coach, it's vital that you recognise that fact, and then take steps to access that whole picture.

And that - in a nutshell - is what GymCon 2018 is for: to give coaches who care about their athletes' success a more rounded picture of what is required to help them reach their true potential.

At this year's conference, we'll be focusing on three specific areas that will have a HUGE impact on your coaching, your athletes and their ability to be successful.

From all of the work I've done over the last two decades, all of the clubs that I've visited, all of the federations I've worked with and all of the countries I've consulted in (over 14 at last count!), these are the three areas that continue to pop up as the main headache that stunts athlete development.

It's this information that I KNOW will have an instant impact on athletes when implemented.

It'll create positive change in the long run, not just short term.

It'll improve the quality of life of both athlete and coaches.

It'll help you to ensure your athlete has a far better chance of fulfilling their potential.

At GymCon 2018, we'll be dedicating the entire day to creating Happy, Healthy and Hungry athletes.

These three ingredients, working in harmony together, are an unrivalled combination.

Better than any text book technique.

Better than any level of scientific understanding of the sport.

If you can't nurture athletes to be Happy, Healthy and Hungry, your coaching will never be as effective as it could be and - to be frank - you're not doing your job as a coach.

'This was the first time that I have attended one of these conferences. Exceeded all my expectations.'

Christine Buden

Goldstar Gymnastics

HAPPY

Happy coaches coach happy athletes, who in turn are far more likely to perform well.

'Happiness' is a byproduct of being comfortable, engaged, on purpose and having fun.

This key ingredient is often overlooked, due to the nature of elite sport and how serious it is. But it really is possible for young, high performing athletes to be performing at their best whilst being happy at the same time! This is something we should all be striving for.

A key philosophy of mine is that 'morale comes before medals,' and no medal is important enough to compromise on the happiness of the athletes I would work with.

At GymCon 2018, we'll be focusing on the key methods for ensuring athlete happiness and satisfaction, delving into my experience of motivating the athletes under my care and getting our guest speakers to share their tactics for making certain that their athletes are happy.

HEALTHY

I've lost count of the number of athletes I've witnessed dropping out of the sport far before their potential was reached due to injuries and physical deficiencies.

It's one of the great tragedies of any elite sport and as coaches we have a responsibility to do better, rather than just accepting this as fate to a significant number of gymnasts who participate in the sport.

Over the years, I've learnt that the old adage, 'durability is more important than ability', is undeniably true.

We've all witnessed the 'super talented' athlete that wins every compulsory competition, yet doesn't have the physical or mental robustness to tolerate the demands of the sport going forward.

Equally, I can think of a fair few athletes that have less than desirable levels of 'talent,' yet are able to steadily climb the ranks of competition due to their physical and mental tolerance.

And that 'mental' aspect is key - mental health has come into sharp focus in the last few years and for good reason: generally as a society, we're not that good at recognising poor mental health.

But it's SO important, not just for performance and potential, but for the long-term welfare of the athletes entrusted to you.

Physical, emotional and mental fitness are key ingredients in your high performance mix, and at GymCon 2018, we're going to be sharing how to take massive strides to accomplishing both.

'Amazing speakers, fantastic friendly atmosphere, great hospitality. Would love to see more events like this!'

Danielle Harvey

Nuneaton Gymnastics Club

"The best gymnastics event I have been to!"

Chloe Carey

Harrogate Gymnastics Club

HUNGRY

Athletes who are HUNGRY to learn are the greatest pleasure to coach and make our lives as coaches significantly easier. There's nothing more frustrating for coaches than their desire to succeed exceeding that of the athlete they are working with. But it's all too common.

There's a bit of an art to creating an environment that fuels the fire of the athletes within it, and fortunately, I have some experience in that area, as well as some great contacts (and speakers ;)) who I'd say are WORLD CLASS at it.

You see, there's more to hunger than "goal setting", and at GymCon 2018, we'll be sharing top strategies and hacks to ensure your athletes are motivated to learn and have a willingness to succeed.

With all of those topics being covered it's safe to say I'm putting on another 'must-attend' event, packed full of knowledge bombs and hacks to help you raise the bar.

The fact of the matter is that there's no way that you can come to GymCon 2018, learn about the 'Happy, Healthy, Hungry' formula and not leave with something tangible to take back to your club and effect change for the better.

Nick Ruddock contributed to historic medal winning performances on the international stage throughout his four-year term with British Gymnastics as National Coach. Nick represented Great Britain and Team GB on numerous occasions throughout his national coaching role, culminating with the 2014 Junior European Championships, where the British girls captured a historic six-medal haul including a record Team Silver ahead of European superpower Romania.

Nick, a former personal coach to Amy Tinkler; European, World and Olympic Medallist, has been mentored by some of the world’s most experienced and accomplished coaches throughout several influential countries.

Nick has lectured as a Technical Expert for the UEG (Union of European Gymnastics) for 7 years, and consults for over a dozen international gymnastics federations and a variety of performance sports, with a mission of optimizing athlete and coach performance for the world stage.

@officialmissval

@missvalkondos

Valorie Kondos Field

Woman's Artistic Head Coach of UCLA

Valorie Kondos Field is the head coach of the six-time NCAA Champion, UCLA Women's Gymnastics team. This preeminent coach was recently named the Pac-12 "Coach of the Century," and in 2010, she became one of only two active coaches to be inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame.

Valorie's coaching success is due to her extraordinary leadership and mentorship of young student-athletes. "Miss Val," as she is known, views gymnastics as an incredible avenue through which valuable life lessons can be taught.

Countless student-athletes praise Miss Val for her guidance during their athletic careers, and after they've graduated from UCLA and have entered the next chapter in their lives. Included in the hundreds of athletes she has coached or mentored are Olympic champions Simone Biles, Jordan Wieber, Kyla Ross, Madison Kocian, Laurie Hernandez and Nastia Liukin.

@dtill63

@dtill63

Dr. Dave Tilley

Physical Therapist & Founder of Shift Movement Science

Dr Dave Tilley is one of the foremost medical authorities in the gymnastics world and is known for challenging conventional and traditional methods – methods that have been used for decades.

Dave presents up-to-date, scientifically accurate and logical information, all designed to prolong gymnasts’ careers, keep them safe and give them the very best chance of achieving their potential.

Dave was a competitive gymnast for 18 years, four of those years as part of the Springfield College team in Boston, Massachusetts, and in 2014 he founded SHIFT Movement Science and Gymnastics Movement – a company designed to educate those involved in gymnastics, weight-lifting, CrossFit and other sports.

@NileMW

@NileMW

Nile Wilson

Olympian - Men's Artistic Gymnastics (GBR)

Nile Wilson needs little introduction within the world of Gymnastics.

Earning multiple medals at British, Commonwealth, World, European and Olympic level, Nile is one of Great Britain's leading Senior Men's Artistic Gymnasts. Nile’s famous for more than just his gymnastics skills, with an enormous online community of fans viewing his entertaining and inspirational vlogs and training updates.

Nile will be joining us on stage for a live Question and Answer session, where Nick will be tapping into Nile’s winning mindset in and out of the gym and touching on his success story in line with the theme of Happy, Healthy and Hungry.

This session is not to be missed!

The Only Question Is: Will You Be There?

If you've been to one of my events before, then I hope you'll have enough trust that this event will be worth your time that you've already pencilled it into your diary.

As you know, all of my conferences sell out, and that's because I really do pack them with as much value as I possibly can.

But if you HAVEN'T been to one of our events before, then I guess you might still be mulling things over.

But before you make a decision, here are just a few things worth considering:

1. GymCon is on a Sunday, to give as many people as possible a chance to attend.

I've been in the Gymnastics space for a long time now, and I know better than most how difficult it is for gymnastics coaches to find time for themselves AND time for education.

That's why this event is on a Sunday - to give you the best chance of getting there.

And if Sunday is a typical training day for you, I really do encourage you to plan ahead and find an alternative session for your athletes on that day - I'm confident that the lack of coaching for them on that one day will be massively outweighed by the immense value and insights that you return to the gym with.

2. GymCon is for all gymnastics coaches, no matter their level.

If you're thinking that this event is only for the cream of coaching, you'd be wrong.

Whilst our events do attract some of the gymnastic world's highest level coaches from all over the globe, we have just as many volunteers, part time coaches and those just starting out at the bottom of the ladder.

And if you're concerned that you'll rock up and have to listen to a load of confusing jargon, think again - we use easy-to-understand words that get the message across, which means there's need to have a degree in gymnastics or biomechanics just to understand what's being said.

In fact, there's no need to have any qualifications or experience at all. All you need is you, and an open mind.

3. GymCon 2018 will see me sharing the stage with some of the smartest Gymnastics minds out there.

As always, I won't just be relying on my own expertise in these areas, I'm flying in industry experts, people who can give you the VERY BEST knowledge and hacks on these topics to get the most out of your athletes.

And I'm incredibly excited about them.

These are the same calibre of speakers that have regularly attracted an international audience to my events, with coaches from as far as Australia attending. (Coaches that recognise the importance of investing in their personal development, for the benefit of themselves and of course their athletes.)

And these are the coaches that are looking for an edge over the competition.

4. GymCon is in the most central location possible.

I'm holding GymCon 2018 at the St Johns Hotel in Solihull, just off the M42 and slap bang in the middle of the country, just two hours from Manchester, Cardiff or London, under three hours from Southampton and under four from Newcastle.

So if you're thinking that you don't want to drive, just remember that for the sake of a few hours in the car listening to a podcast or some of your favourite tunes, you can access cutting edge Gymnastics content not being taught anywhere else in the country.

And in any case, we've had attendees from Australia, Finland and France to our previous events - as the saying goes 'where there's a will, there's a way'!

5. The information will be applicable for multiple disciplines

The beauty of the content I've chosen for this year's conference is that it's applicable for multiple disciplines; not just artistic women's gymnastics. In fact, I'll be making sure that if you're a coach of any sport, you'll get significant value from the day.

6. Nowhere else will you be able to spend time in close quarters with other ambitious Gymnastics coaches

My events are fast becoming the 'go to' places for Gymnastics coaches who care about personal development to congregate, share ideas and spend time together.

The part of you that doesn't want to sacrifice your Sunday might be thinking that you can just catch up afterwards, but the reality is that even if I record the event and make those recordings available, it'll be at a dearer price than your ticket, and there really is no substitute to being there live, rubbing shoulders with your peers and forging new connections.

7. Nowhere else will you be able to sample cutting-edge products and speak to key gymnastics manufacturers about the kit you need for your club (and get great offers on the things you need)

For the first time, I've made the decision to handpick a number of exhibitors to attend GymCon. I've had a lot of requests from coaches who desire opportunity to speak to manufacturers and sample products, and that's why GymCon will provide an opportunity to do exactly that. Most manufacturers will have show offers too, allowing you to access kit at prices you won't find anywhere else.

At GymCon 2018, I won't be offering 'marginal gains' for your club or athletes; these are significant ones.

In fact there are no greater areas of significance to improve your athletes, I'm confident in that.

Just one day at GymCon could influence an entire career of results.

Just one snippet of gold dust from one of our world-class speakers could be the difference between keeping an athlete in the sport; happier, healthier and hungrier to learn. And that one athlete could be the one individual that contributes to your rise into the world of world-class coaching and performance sport.

That was Amy Tinkler for me.

And I couldn't have contributed to her rise to World Class results without specific knowledge in these three areas, which was filtered down from those that I had the pleasure to learn from.

Will You Give Yourself The Chance To Access This Gold Dust And Accelerate Your Athletes' Development, Performance And Results?

Move quickly, and you can secure your ticket to GymCon 2018 for the lowest possible price.

You see, I firmly believe that price should not stand in the way of honest and ambitious coaches like you accessing advice, tactics and strategies that'll not only improve your athletes' careers, but your career and your life as a result.

And that's why the standard ticket price for GymCon 2018 is just £239.99.

I'm not kidding when I say that the information you'll gain from this event has the potential to drastically change the way that you coach, and the results you get as a result, and I'm sure you'll agree that experience which can have that sort of impact is well worth much more.

But if you act fast, your GymCon 2018 ticket isn't going to cost you £239.99 ...

Pricing Offer

Standard TICKET

£

159.99

All 5 Sessions

Exhibitor Access

Resource Pack

Buffet Lunch

Teas, Coffees and Refreshments

VIP ticket

£

239.99

Limited Number Available!

All Standard Ticket Benefits Plus:

VIP Lunch

Post Event Recordings of all 5 Sessions

'Beat the Queues' with Fast Track Registration

Seats Closest to the Stage

Prices include VAT

TABLE OF 6

£

799.99

Buy 5 places, get one free!

Ensure your club & colleagues sit together by securing a table of 6 all to yourself!

P.S. Remember, GymCon 2018 is taking place in Solihull on June 24th 2018. With me on stage, as well as some of the most illustrious names in the Gymnastics industry, and with the focus on 'Happy, Healthy and Hungry' athletes, this event promises to be exactly what you need to make a seismic shift forward in your coaching, and your athletes' performance as a result.